Four of the biggest productivity problems in the UK workplace – and what you can do about them
Compared to other countries, the UK’s shortfall in productivity has long been an economic headache.
Despite significant increases in employment levels, productivity has actually got worse. And even though the UK reportedly works long hours, valuable output is low.
In an effort to explore and address this, HR consultants AdviserPlus have written an eBook. The eBook reveals more about the UK’s issues with productivity in 2019, as well as how HR managers can start to tackle this problem in their own business.
Based on their findings, here are four of the biggest problems with productivity in the UK workplace – and what you can do to prevent them.
1) Simplification
Simplifying and streamlining tasks and objectives for the workforce is a one way of improving wellbeing and productivity.
Ensuring that new technologies are implemented correctly, with employees given sufficient training on how to use them can be a huge time saver. It can also help to avoid the workers feeling stressed over trying to understand a system which is meant to help them.
Adequate investment in recruitment will also save employees overloading themselves with tasks and therefore burning themselves out. Checking in with your staff via weekly meets will enable you to keep an eye on this.
2) Efficiency
Making the most of the working day is at the core of productivity. When employees become less efficient, tasks can be delivered to a poorer quality and deadlines can be missed.
Implementing a comprehensive and well thought out onboarding process is important. The process will need to explain clearly what makes great productivity and what constitutes bad productivity. Successful organisations are explicit in what they expect from their employees and reap the benefits.
Also setting out a clear meetings protocol for your business will help stop them from over running and eating into to time that could be being used more productively.
3) Engagement
Companies need their employees to be engaged and understand the work they do, and should be rewarding and recognising them accordingly.
Create ways to boost the workplace environment in an attempt to heighten workplace happiness and wellbeing. Be careful not to overdo this however, strike a balance and be sure to set boundaries and goals.
Ensure mobile workers keep their work-life balance healthy too, by asking them to not reply to work emails or work on projects outside of office hours.
4) Data insight
Maintaining and monitoring HR data insights allows people to make informed, data-led decisions which should lead to optimal outcomes for businesses.
Reliable data can lead to much faster resolutions and allow HR professionals to put together business cases for essential upgrades and updates to a business’s protocols.
Giving employees the ability to input their own data into a database can save time when it comes to the appraisal process as well as allowing them to have more of a say when it comes to their career progression.
You can download AdviserPlus’ eBook “HR’s role in solving the UK’s productivity puzzle” for free here.
Photo by Hutomo Abrianto
